Do you intend to launch an online gaming store? Running an online game store is an excellent way to earn money doing something you are passionate about. You can make it a side hustle or your own business.
So, how do you launch a Shopify game store?
Gaming Store Statistics
There are 14,390 live Shopify stores in the Games category.
The most popular subcategories under Games are:
- 27.2% of Shopify stores in the Games category sell Computer & Video Games products
- 16.6% of Shopify stores in the Games category sell Card Games products
- 8.3% of Shopify stores in the Games category sell Board Games products
Here is a chart showing the expansion of Shopify stores over time in the Games category.
- Shopify stores in the Games category have increased 14.7% quarter-over-quarter in 2023 Q1.
- Shopify stores in the Games category have increased 48% year-over-year in 2023 Q1.
Best-Performing Countries For Shopify Stores In The Games Category
The top countries for Shopify stores in the Games category are listed below.
- 58.5% of Shopify stores in the Games category are in United States
- 10.5% of Shopify stores in the Games category are in United Kingdom
- 8.1% of Shopify stores in the Games category are in Canada
- 7.0% of Shopify stores in the Games category are in Australia
Top 7 Shopify Game Store Examples
1. Glorious PC Gaming Race
A gamer who had grown tired of overpriced and subpar PC gaming accessories and products founded Glorious PC Gaming Race LLC in 2014. Since then, the company has expanded exponentially.
This online store is thriving in the gaming sector and has generated over $5 million in sales. (Zoominfo)
At first glance, the store design may seem outdated and clunky, but the proof of their revenue is undeniable.
Their Best-Selling Product:
Their Model Zero is a high-performance, extremely lightweight wireless mouse with a no-lag wireless connection and a proprietary BAMF sensor. It costs $79.99 and has over 6,000 reviews. Clean and uncomplicated, the landing page features an upsell at the top to increase revenue from each visitor. The majority of the reviews are favorable, with a few one-star reviews citing quality control problems.
Customers are willing to pay a premium for high-quality equipment because the gaming hardware market is seen as having high value.
PC Gaming Race has done an outstanding job of building a community and attracting a loyal customer base. Despite the outdated design of their website, they are clearly succeeding based on their sales and level of customer engagement. It's critical for business owners to understand their sector as well as how consumers perceive the worth of their products. A fantastic example of a Shopify store that is profitable and has found success is PC Gaming Race.
2. KontrolFreek
Popular company KontrolFreek specializes in high-performance gaming equipment and accessories. The company's main goal is to improve console gamers' gaming experiences by providing a range of accessories like thumbsticks, controller grips, gaming cables, and clothing like t-shirts and hoodies. Both amateur and expert gamers can use their cutting-edge and premium products.
Products
Performance thumbsticks from KontrolFreek, which are made for PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch controllers, are their standout item. During gameplay, these thumbsticks help increase precision, grip, and range of motion. To meet the needs of various games and individual preferences, the company offers a variety of designs and styles of thumbsticks.
In addition to thumbsticks, they provide a range of other gaming accessories like controller grips, which add comfort during extended gaming sessions, premium HDMI cables, which improve the visuals on the gaming screen, and PC-specific keyboard and mouse bundles.
Partnerships
KontrolFreek collaborates with a number of renowned gaming companies and content producers. They frequently work together to create new ideas or custom-branded products that cater to the requirements of professional gamers.
Social Media & Blog
On social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, KontrolFreek is present and active. They frequently disseminate information about new partnerships or product releases. Additionally, their website features a blog where they post related articles covering various aspects of gaming culture, tips & tricks for a better gaming experience as well as informative content about KontrolFreek products.
💡 Quick Read: Best 40+ Shopify Website Examples To Inspire You [PLUS Ways To Find More Stores]
3. Limited Run Games
The leading publisher and distributor of rare video games, collector's editions, and other products for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, and vintage consoles is Limited Run Games. Each Limited Run game has a single printing, is officially licensed, and is very collectible. #ForeverPhysical.
4. Loot Crate™
The world's most popular pop culture subscription service, Loot Crate, brings fans at home a love of pop culture conventions. To imagine new products for our fans, we collaborate closely with creators and licensed partners like Warner Brothers, Disney, Marvel, Pixar, Universal, Bethesda, Crunchyroll, and others.
5. CluedUpp Games
CluedUpp is an interactive gaming platform that provides city-wide, app-based outdoor detective adventures. Players can explore their chosen city while looking for hints and resolving murder mystery puzzles by using GPS technology.
Game Types
In addition to the "Sneaky Finders" and "Witchcraft & Wizardry" themes, CluedUpp offers a variety of game types. While the Witchcraft & Wizardry game is based on a fantasy adventure, the Sneaky Finders game draws its inspiration from British detective dramas from the 1920s.
How it Works
A ticket for the game of their choice is purchased, teams of up to six players are formed, and the CluedUpp app is downloaded. The group sets out from the predetermined starting point on the virtual map in search of hints. To solve the mystery, they will collect information, rule out suspects, and identify the murder weapon as they move around the city.
Locations
CluedUpp organizes games in a number of cities and countries, giving participants a fun way to travel while collaborating to solve mysteries.
Awards and Prizes
If their team solves the mystery, they could win awards for "Fastest Team," "Best Fancy Dress," "Best Team Picture," and more. In order to add a fun element to the experience, participants are encouraged to dress in a manner consistent with the theme of their game.
6. Build Redux
They provide the top gaming computers. Customers can choose their budget, games, recommended build, or personalize it to suit their tastes.
7. HyperX
The goal of HyperX has been to create gaming products for all types of players, including mousepads, keyboards, headsets, and charging accessories for console players. The distinguished HyperX brand is renowned for consistently producing goods with superior comfort, appeal, performance, and dependability.
As HyperX gear is created by individuals who have a passion for gaming, it is the preferred choice of celebrity ambassadors, professional gamers, and tech enthusiasts worldwide. We have shipped one million keyboards, one million microphones, and over 20 million gaming headsets worldwide, and we have no intention of slowing down.
How to Start a Game Store on Shopify Platform
Market research
Thorough market research is the first step in starting an online video game store. This will provide you with crucial information about your target market, the factors influencing their decision, your competitors, and the current and upcoming trends in the video game industry. You can using market research,
- create concrete customer personas
- identify your USP and differentiate yourself from competitors
- gather information to devise your marketing strategy
A straightforward method of conducting market research is to use keywords to find information about the games people are looking for. You can filter the search volume by region to get more insightful results.
Get an LLC
It is simple to conduct market research by using keywords to find details about the games people are looking for. The search volume can be filtered by region to provide more insightful results.
Choose Your Focus
You must choose your focus now that you are certain that you want to launch a Shopify game store.
On your Shopify gaming store, you can sell a variety of items. Of course, you can market games. However, you can also market additional gaming-related items. You could market products for video game collectors as well as the tools needed to play games, such as gaming computers, headsets, keyboards, monitors, mice, etc. The exciting part is that it is entirely up to you as to how you want to run your gaming store.
The fact that you don't even have to ship the goods yourself makes having an online store an exciting bonus. For your online store, you might think about using a dropshipping model. You purchase goods from a third-party supplier in order for that to work. They are the ones who ship the goods to your customers at that point. We discuss the possibility of profitability here. Here, you can learn about reliable dropshipping vendors.
Find Supplier
You must locate suppliers for your company before opening your store. You can sell a wide variety of video games in your online store. Choose your product and whether you'll offer a wide range of games or specialize in a single genre. It will assist you in locating suitable vendors with reasonable prices and dependable supplies.
Build your Brand
For your game store, come up with a name and a logo. In order to let potential customers know what you sell, pick a name that somehow relates to video games. The logo should be straightforward and simple to recognize. This step won't be necessary if you choose to use a franchise because the name and logo of your business will already be those of the franchisor.
Customers appreciate names that are not only original and creative but also memorable and relatable, so choosing a name for your video game store that is memorable and relatable is crucial.
Use online tools like the Gaming Business Name Generator. Just type in a few keywords and hit “generate shop name” and you’ll have dozens of unique business names to sell games at your fingertips.
💡 Quick read: 15+ Best Shopify Brands In 2024 To Inspire Your Business
Below therefore are some catchy names that you can choose for your video game store;
- Game Changers Inc
- Top Games Store
- Quad-core Video Games
- Virtual and Software Video Game Stores
- Succulus Video Gamers
- Vintage Video Gamers
Launch your Marketing Campaign
Entertain your game store business’s audience
People enjoy crying or laughing. This also applies to gamers. Create memes using free online meme makers that feature their favorite protagonist in humorous situations, and then watch them spread like wildfire. Make your video game retail operation relatable.
Leverage Facebook gaming groups
Join the most well-liked Facebook gaming groups, like Epic Gamers, Gamer Geek Nation, or One Million Gamers, to interact with your target audience. You'll stay up to date on current gaming topics in this way. You could also establish your credibility in a group, gain the trust of the participants, and eventually point them toward the website of your game store company.
Expand your audience with hashtags
Did you know that using keywords in your tweets can help you attract new clients? Check all of the pertinent and popular hashtags for the digital game industry before adding them to your tweets. The hashtags #videogames, #gaming, #indiedev, and #PCGaming are among the most effective in the gaming industry.
Other trending hashtags refer to well-known game series, studios, publishers, and gaming platforms. To avoid being perceived as spam, however, use them sparingly. You can also create a hashtag that is unique to your company so that customers can find your store amidst the commotion nearby.
Additionally, hashtags are helpful when you're looking for fresh ideas or trends for your upcoming tweets. It's also a fantastic tool for keeping an eye on your rivals!
Be upfront about special offers and rewards
"Follow us on Twitter and get 20% off," the message reads. Keep gamers informed of special offers or ongoing discounts is a great idea, especially if you're trying to attract new customers. Additionally, holding contests with the intention of gaining retweets can help you gain a steady stream of followers. Would you mind putting it this way? "The next 50 people who retweet me will receive a 25% discount on" Introduce it to your audience and observe the snowball effect it has.
Get influencers to promote your brand
A helping hand from those who are knowledgeable about the video game industry is a welcome addition to your regular marketing initiatives. Being endorsed by a blogger or influencer is a surefire way to establish a strong online presence.
Make a list of the influencers you want to connect with, such as journalists, authors, and bloggers, and then engage with them every day. At this point, it's more about building rapport and gaining trust, so be consistent and helpful.
Gain traction with paid advertising
Try targeted paid advertising if you believe the aforementioned best practices are insufficient to help your video game business succeed. Similar to Facebook, Instagram enables you to target gamers based on their demographics, location, interests, and other factors. Let the data speak for itself: 30% of Instagram users (source: codeswholesale) claim to have bought a product after discovering it on the social media platform. It's now your turn to persuade them to buy something!
Get Gaming Shopify Themes
Making your own Shopify store is currently fairly simple, but if you want to simplify it even more, you should purchase a Shopify Gaming Theme. Your website will then be prepared for a gaming store. Less personalization is required of you as a result. Then, starting could be as simple for you as plugging in your information.
Here are some Shopify themes that you could use for your gaming store:
- Game Store Shopify Theme – GameWorld
- Punibor Gaming Store Shopify Theme
- SGame – Responsive Accessories, Games Shopify Theme
- GameUniverse | Game Store Shopify Theme
- Ridex Game Store Shopify Theme
- Game Box Gaming & Accessories Store Shopify Theme
FAQ
Where can I sell games online?
Games can be sold online through your own store created with a platform like Shopify, on third-party marketplaces like Amazon and eBay, on specialized websites like Swappa and Decluttr, on social media, via wholesale, and on a variety of other online channels.
What kind of games sell best?
- Video games
- Puzzles
- Board games
- Mobile app games
- Children’s games
How do I price games?
To price games, total all of the costs associated with bringing your product to market, set your profit margin on top of those expenses, and list your prices. You can change prices over time to increase sales or profit margins.
Social Media Usage On Shopify Stores In The Games Category
source: storeleads.app
- Instagram is used by 45.2% of Shopify stores in the Games category.
- Facebook is used by 39.9% of Shopify stores in the Games category.
- Twitter is used by 19.0% of Shopify stores in the Games category.
Top Countries For Shopify Stores In The Games Category
- 58.6% of Shopify stores in the Games category are in United States
- 10.6% of Shopify stores in the Games category are in United Kingdom
- 8.1% of Shopify stores in the Games category are in Canada
- 6.9% of Shopify stores in the Games category are in Australia
Conclusion
The demand for and popularity of online gaming are growing. Therefore, choosing the appropriate niche will enable you to launch a prosperous online video game store.
You have a lot of choices to make if you want to launch your own online video game store and distribution business.
A great semi-passive venture to launch is an online video game store.
Once everything is set up, all you have to do to increase business and video game sales is purchase video games from distributors, run promotions, and sponsor events.
Your online video gaming store will quickly turn a profit if you can master that.